Ask a Questions Thread?

[ksbsnowowl]

Since we don't have an Ask a Question forum anymore, should we start an Ask a Question thread?

If this becomes that, okay, great.  If not, then I just have my sole question to ask about a confusion/insanity trap.

Q 1:

What does a Confused creature do when his Confusion is the result of a trap (something like Symbol of Insanity, or just a magical trap that inflicts Confusion) and the percentile roll for the round comes up with "Attack Caster..."?

Attack caster with melee or ranged weapons (or close with caster if attack is not possible).

Does he attack the trap?  Attack where the symbol is/was?

[BrUjO]

As GM i'd rule that he'd attack the trap or, rather, the source of the spell - where the spell was fired from, or, where he perceives the spell was fired from. Doesn't seem like that much of a stretch to interpret the "Attack Caster" as "Attack Source", since the caster is the one who "Cast" the spell, and, in this case, who "Cast" the spell was the trap.

Seems reasonable, and falls squarely on the realm of common sense, but i'll agree that it's RAI and not RAW.

If you choose to go with absolute RAW, then, since the original caster of the spell - the one that made the trap - is no longer present, then the action mandated by the roll is deemed impossible and as per the rules, the character then just babbles incoherently.

[awaken_D_M_golem]

... or close with caster if attack is not possible ...

Hypothetically, dude could take off running toward the nearest Portal , or town with a Planeshift caster.

[BrUjO]

Yeah, but that would mean that the confusion spell somehow imparted knowledge of the caster's location that the subject of the spell had otherwise no idea to ascertain - which is odd.

Funnily enough, this also becomes a problem when rolling "Flee away from caster at top possible speed". If you don't know where the caster is, then where do you run to?

In fact, if the assumption that "close with caster" means that the spell imparts knowledge of the location of the caster, the roll of "attack nearest creature" would also, by the same token, impart the knowledge of where the nearest creature is, even if the target of the confusion spell had otherwise no way of obtaining that information.

Using Confused characters as compasses to find more monsters and/or the creator of the dungeon? Amusing thought. Would be really funny if a GM actually used this interpretation of the rules.

Though i still maintain that there isn't really a rules debate here. As far as the character knows, the source - or the caster of the spell - is the trap. So any action he'd take would be taken in relation to what the perceived source/caster is.

[Nytemare3701]

Q2: Assuming Fell Drain works on each instance of damage from a spell, would the addition of the Wounding metamagic also deal negative levels?

(click to show/hide)

"When affected by this feat, a spell that deals damage to a creature also inflicts a bleeding wound that does not heal normally. On each subsequent round, the victim loses 1 hit point at the beginning of your turn."

Q3: What's the easiest/cheapest method for a mid-level npc necromancer to stick a spell on his minions that triggers when they die? Yes, this is an extension of the shenanigans in Q2.  ;D